SeriousAboutMuscle.com - "Publisher's Page" by Doug Schneider

Physique Canada's First Champions

Details: Written by Administrator Administrator; Created: 01 July 2012 01 July 2012

Rob DeLuca There were a lot of people watching and waiting to find out if Physique Canada’s National Classic on June 16 would be a success or failure. After all, Physique Canada is the nation’s newest physique organization and they made a lot of noise earlier in the year by touting best-in-class judging and drug-testing standards, along with first-class, well-run shows. That’s a lot to live up to – or not – and June 16 was the organization’s inaugural show.

But before I say anything more, I have to point out that my opinion is biased because I had an intrinsic part in the launch of this new organization, and I also have an intrinsic role within it. But ask anyone who was at the event on June 16 and you’ll find that the opinion of most people there was: Physique Canada’s 2012 National Classic was a resounding success!

The National Classic wasn’t a success simply because of the beautiful venue (the main theater at the Canadian Museum of Civilization), high production quality (from start to finish, the show ran flawlessly), incredible emcee (Carlo Lombard, who entertained the audience for the full four-hour stint), or topnotch judging panel (led by Physique Canada’s chief judge, Steve Duperré, and head judge, Debbie Laurin-Leclerc), but also because of the high-caliber athletes, particularly the Tier 1 Elite competitors and, of course, all the winners, who made history by becoming the first ever champions.

In men’s bodybuilding, Rob DeLuca overtook Michael Martinez to become the Physique Canada National Classic Tier 1 Elite Men’s Bodybuilding Champion. (Some of Rob’s training leading up to this event can be seen in our “Authentic Iron” videos that are now online; Michael’s training was also captured on video, and will be included in the “Authentic Iron” series when all of Rob’s parts are all online.) In women’s muscular physique (aka figure), it was a tight race between Michele Steeves and Nadine Young, with Michele eventually emerging as the winner and being crowned the National Classic Tier 1 Women’s Muscular Physique Champion. Rob and Michele both received $1000 for their efforts.

There were also plenty of new winners in the Tier 3 and Tier 2 classes. Tier 3 is reserved for novice competitors – first-timers or those who haven’t placed in the top three in any previous competition. Tier 3 ended up being the largest division, which shows that Physique Canada was very successful at attracting brand-new competitors. Those who placed in the top three in the various Tier 3 classes can now progress to the Tier 2 level in future Physique Canada competitions. The top-three finishers in the various Tier 2 classes at the National Classic now have the option of progressing to Tier 1 Elite where they can challenge Rob, Michele, and the other Tier 1 Elite competitors for Physique Canada’s top titles at future events.

But there was more at this event that Physique Canada had to prove. Prior to June 16, Physique Canada made a lot of promises about their transparent judging process and cutting-edge drug-testing procedures, as well as the fairness that would be shown to all competitors – and they delivered on all of them. The individual judges’ scores were publicized on the organization’s website the next day for everyone to see, which is something that, to the best of our knowledge, no other physique organization in Canada does. The drug-testing team, which was led by Physique Canada’s chief doping control officer, Martin Tessier, tested 20 percent of the competitors using WADA-type standards, which is more than quadruple the number of competitors that most other organization’s test at their events. Following the competition, the athletes who asked for feedback were given private consultations about their performance on June 16 and were given pointers on how to improve for future events.

There was plenty for Physique Canada to prove on June 16, as well as many promises to keep. By most accounts, Physique Canada succeeded beyond anyone's expectations; in fact, I’d go as far as to say it was the most successful launch that any new physique organization has ever had in Canada. Of course, as I said at the beginning of this article, I’m biased. But biased or not, I’m not only proud of what was accomplished on June 16, I’m also happy to say that Physique Canada is off to a running start and that this first show wasn’t some kind of beginner’s luck. Physique Canada’s next competition is on October 20, the Physique Canada Canadian Championships, and the organization’s president, Brian Robitaille, promises that show won’t just be as good as the one on June 16 – it will be even better!

. . . Doug Schneider
SeriousAboutMuscle.com Founder and Publisher

Game On! Physique Canada's First Event Happens this Month

Details: Written by Doug Schneider Doug Schneider; Created: 01 June 2012 01 June 2012

SAM June 2012 cover This month's cover features Michael Martinez, a Physique Canada Tier 1 Elite competitor who is signed on to compete in the organization's inaugural event: the Physique Canada National Classic. The event will be held on June 16, 2012, at the beautiful Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. Rob DeLuca, who was featured on last month's cover, is also signed on to compete. But the event is not just open to top-level competitors like Michael and Rob; it's also open to male and female novice competitors (Tier 3) competing for the first time, as well as experienced competitors (Tier 2) vying for Tier 1 Elite status (the top-three finishers in a Tier 2 event qualify for Tier 1 Elite status). Interactive Nutrition, which is based in Ottawa, Canada, is sponsoring the entire event, including the $1000 prize money for each Tier 1 Elite winner.

The Physique Canada National Classic event will consist of men's bodybuilding, women's muscular physique, and women's athletic physique. Men's bodybuilding is, of course, well established in physique competitions, as is women's muscular physique (it's called figure in other organizations, but Physique Canada felt it important to give it a more descriptive and appropriate name), but this is the first time ever that a women's athletic physique competition will be held. This is a brand-new discipline and we're very excited to see what the outcome will be. Frankly, we feel that women's athletic physique has the potential to become the most popular women's discipline in no time at all, given Physique Canada’s judging criteria and the kind of look that’s being encouraged – strong, fit, and healthy.

One more important thing to note about this competition, and others that Physique Canada will promote, is what goes on behind the scenes: drug testing. Unlike the many physique organizations that simply turn a blind eye to the rampant drug use in physique sports, or make half-hearted attempts to test competitors, Physique Canada is confronting the issue head-on by implementing the most stringent drug-testing protocol ever devised in the Canadian physique-competition scene. Before, during, and after the competition, a team of trained drug-testing personnel will be collecting urine samples from a large cross-section of competitors and immediately sending those samples off to the IOC-accredited lab in Montreal for analysis – considered by many to be the very best drug-testing lab in the world. In accordance with WADA-accepted standards, competitors who fail the tests will have their names published and their titles revoked. Of course, they will also be banned for a set period of time from future Physique Canada competitions. Physique Canada is making no bones about the fact that they want their competitive stage to be clean and fair. Competitors who use drugs should stay clear, but those clean athletes who want to compete on a level playing field are encouraged to compete.

On June 16, 2012, Canadian physique-competition history will be made – Physique Canada will put on their first ever men’s and women’s event, and the first ever champions will be crowned. SeriousAboutMuscle.com will be there to cover it. Will you be there too? Game on!

. . . Doug Schneider
SeriousAboutMuscle.com Founder and Publisher

Is “Body Sculpting” the Best Bodybuilding Column Ever?

Details: Written by Doug Schneider Doug Schneider; Created: 01 March 2012 01 March 2012

Decades ago, I used to rush to the magazine store when the latest issue of MuscleMag came out in order to read Vince Gironda’s column that was always positioned among the final few pages. In my opinion, that was the best bodybuilding column ever written, because it contained more valuable information on one page than most of the other columns in all the magazines combined. The reason for the column’s success was simple – Vince Gironda (photo right), who was dubbed “The Iron Guru,” was one of the most knowledgeable trainers who ever lived. In fact, MuscleMag’s founder, Robert Kennedy, told me that when he started the magazine, he specifically asked Gironda to write for him because he wanted someone with his knowledge to be featured consistently in his magazine. Gironda and Kennedy even collaborated on a book called Unleashing the Wild Physique. I was fortunate enough to have trained under Vince in the ‘80s at his “Vince’s Gym” and have read almost everything he wrote.

Unfortunately, Gironda apparently lost interest in writing in the late ‘80s and ultimately died in 1997 (just shy of his 80^th birthday). Little that has appeared in MuscleMag or any of the other commercial print publications since has resonated with me the way that column did. That’s why when I met Denis Pedneault several years ago and learned firsthand about the breadth and depth of training knowledge that he had, I encouraged him to create a column just like Gironda’s so we could publish it here on SeriousAboutMuscle.com. I even nicknamed Denis “The New Iron Guru” because of the similarities I saw between him and Gironda at that time.

Denis loved the idea for the column, not to mention the new nickname, and on March 15, 2007, Denis Pedneault’s “Body Sculpting” feature debuted here on SeriousAboutMuscle.com. This month, four years after “Body Sculpting” began, we will be publishing the 22nd instalment in the series, and there’s no sign that it will stop anytime soon.

Denis performing the perfect curl

But what’s also interesting is how this column has evolved. At first, Denis wanted to mirror the quality of Gironda’s content – in other words, give the reader valuable training advice that is worth reading because it actually works and will produce results. But as Denis progressed with his column, he started looking more closely at Gironda’s legendary work in terms of some of the exercises that he devised decades ago and he started incorporating them into his own workout routines, often refining the various exercises in some way and sometimes even improving upon them. In turn, Denis started incorporating explanations of Gironda’s unique exercises into the “Body Sculpting” column. A perfect example is the article that appeared last December: “The Perfect Curl.” This month, Denis is writing about Gironda’s complex leg exercise that he called “the three-way compound sissy squat,” which I’ll guarantee is a must-read because it is one of the most effective thigh exercises ever devised! When I asked Denis to start the column, I never thought it would evolve into this. Obviously, I’m thrilled.

Given my respect for Gironda’s past column in MuscleMag and the accolades I’ve given to Denis for his current column here on SeriousAboutMuscle.com, some may wonder if I now feel that “Body Sculpting” is the best bodybuilding column ever written. The answer to that is twofold. In terms of the bodybuilding-training columns that appear in the various publications today, print or online, I’d say that it is the best one out there right now. But in comparison to Gironda’s column, “Body Sculpting” isn’t quite there yet, if only because Gironda’s work spanned decades and Denis has only been at this a few years. In other words, Gironda’s writing covered more. However, I have no doubt that if Denis keeps “Body Sculpting” up for several more years, he will match Gironda’s output, and when that happens, I have no doubt that “Body Sculpting” will become the best bodybuilding column ever written.

Gironda was known not only for his knowledge, but also for his quick temper accompanied by explosive fits of anger. He was known for shouting profanities at people and, more than likely, giving a number of people the finger. Would he be annoyed if he heard me say that someone’s column was better than his? Would he throw me out of his gym as he's rumored to have so often done to people who crossed him? Probably not. I’m very sure that if Vince Gironda knew the standard he set and how much he inspired someone like Denis Pedneault, not to mention myself, he would be proud. It’s simply a case of greatness inspiring greatness.

. . . Doug Schneider, Publisher
das@seriousaboutmuscle.com

Doug Schneider is the publisher and chief photographer for SeriousAboutMuscle.com.

New Video Series: "Authentic Iron"

Details: Written by Doug Schneider Doug Schneider; Created: 01 May 2012 01 May 2012

Late at night on April 14, Rob Deluca and I were sending e-mails back and forth, trying to set up a time and place for a video shoot for the next day that would accommodate his schedule and mine, not to mention our locations – I was near Toronto, while he lives near Hamilton. Frankly, we were getting nowhere because we couldn't find a gym in a location that was suitable for both of us. Then Rob made the suggestion that I simply come down to his home, since he has a gym set up in the basement. I agreed to the idea but was also very reluctant about it – I'd never seen a home gym suitable for a video shoot. To make this work, I knew that we'd also need to have a really early start because I'd made some plans for later that day in Toronto. Rob agreed to the sunrise start and even offered to have a large cup of coffee ready the moment I arrived.

As it turned out, the time and the place couldn't have been better. To say that Rob's home gym is fairly good is like saying Russia is a pretty big country. Russia has the largest land mass in the world; likewise, Rob has the best home gym I've ever seen, as well as the largest, and it's chock full of equipment that he's handpicked over the years. He even has dumbbells up to 200 pounds – which he uses! What's more, Rob was ready to train when I got there and I knew immediately that this would be the ideal day to start the new video series that I'd been thinking about for some time: "Authentic Iron."

When I conceived the idea for "Authentic Iron," I knew I wanted it to give viewers a raw, no-holds-barred look into how top natural bodybuilders really train. I also knew that it had to be real – meaning training footage couldn't be staged for the camera. Everything had to be genuine, right down to the weights used for training – in other words, everyone and everything had to be authentic. Rob's gym is as authentic as it comes, and so, too, is his attitude toward bodybuilding as well as his training.

Rob, who is 46, has been bodybuilding since he was in his teens, and has a football-player-type ruggedness about him. He talks candidly about his disdain for steroid use, but talks splendidly about the bodybuilding stars he admires – most of whom compete in the drug-testing competitions, obviously. He's also looking forward to competing in Physique Canada's inaugural event on June 16, the Physique Canada National Classic. What really gets Rob going, though, is training – serious, heavy, hardcore training that would leave most wannabes in the dust. Rob had no qualms about me shooting his Sunday-morning back workout, which was focused mostly on astonishingly heavy dumbbell rows. I shot it from only a few feet away and, thanks to the multimedia-capabilities of the Internet, the world will now be able to see exactly what he does.

Print publications are constrained to what they can publish on a printed page – words, photos, and not much else. Online publications such as SeriousAboutMuscle.com aren't held back by those constraints – we can publish articles, photos, and, of course, videos, not to mention whatever other kind of digital media comes about in the future.

Rob DeLuca Screen capture of real footage shot for "Authentic Iron"

On April 15, SeriousAboutMuscle.com's "Authentic Iron" video series was born in Rob DeLuca's basement gym. On May 15, you'll be able to watch the first instalment of it on SeriousAboutMuscle.com, with many more segments to follow in the months to come. We hope that you’ll enjoy it.

. . . Doug Schneider, SeriousAboutMuscle.com Founder and Publisher

The Scoop on Physique Canada

Details: Written by Doug Schneider Doug Schneider; Created: 01 January 2012 01 January 2012

Physique Canada June 16 On December 1, the Canadian fitness scene was rocked by a revelation: a brand-new organization called Physique Canada was announced. Physique Canada is the nation’s newest physique organization that will promote events for men and women. The first competition, the Physique Canada National Classic, will be held on June 16, 2012.

The announcement surprised most people, but it didn’t surprise me – I’m part of a three-person team behind this new organization. The planning and development of the infrastructure for Physique Canada began in November, 2011. The other two people involved are Brian Robitaille and Steve Duperré.

Brian is a former two-time Canadian bodybuilding champion who represented Canada internationally in 2000, and he is also a successful competition promoter and organizer. Brian was last seen spearheading the drug-testing program for the IDFA, at the time the most exhaustive and stringent drug-testing program ever implemented in a Canadian physique organization.

Steve is also a successful athlete, competing for about 15 years and earning pro status in the IDFA in 2011. He was also involved with the IDFA and was instrumental in implementing that organization’s current judging standards. Steve has over a decade and a half of judging expertise, many of those years at the head judge level. Steve is also a contributor for SeriousAboutMuscle.com. What’s also worth noting is that Brian and Steve have been drug free for life, an important thing because Physique Canada is promoting only drug-tested competitions.

My involvement in bodybuilding began in the ‘80s as an enthusiast, but I have been intrinsically involved in the Canadian physique scene for about 12 years. Throughout those 12 years I did a lot of media work with various organizations, including the CBBF, IFBB, and IDFA, and I started a number of online publications and resources, including SeriousAboutMuscle.com.

Brian is Physique Canada’s president, Steve is the secretary, and I am the marketing director. Together we have nearly 50 years of combined experience – and now all three of us are committed to making Physique Canada the best men’s and women’s physique organization in Canada.

Of course, when the announcement about Physique Canada came out there were some people who rightly asked: Do we really need another physique organization in Canada? The answer is a resounding yes! There are several things that Physique Canada offers that are different than the rest.

WBPF logo First, Physique Canada is affiliated with the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation which has over 90 member countries and is growing. This means that Physique Canada is this country’s only qualifying organization for the WBPF’s annual world championships, something other organizations and their athletes don’t have access to.

Second, for those competitors who don’t want to travel around the world to compete at the international level, Physique Canada will be offering incredible national-level events on our home turf, held in prestigious venues with beautiful stages. Anyone who competes with Physique Canada will be up against the nation’s best in surroundings that are fitting. Physique Canada offers three levels of competitions, with the top level called Tier 1 Elite – the level that the best of the best compete at.

Third, Brian’s expertise in implementing what was the most stringent drug-testing program in the nation at the IDFA will be improved upon even further at Physique Canada. Physique Canada will offer WADA-standardized testing procedures and will use the Olympic lab in Montreal for analysis of samples. Physique Canada will also be the first national-level physique organization to implement out-of-competition random drug testing. Furthermore, based on our research on how many drug tests other organizations conduct, we also believe that Physique Canada will be conducting more in-competition drug tests than anyone. The result of this monumental drug-testing effort is the fairest playing field that Canadian athletes have ever had. When Brian finished implementing the drug-testing program in the IDFA, he declared, “We Will Catch You!” That message is even stronger in Physique Canada.

Another thing is that Physique Canada will offer best-in-class judging standards, which is the main job of Steve Duperré. Steve is currently putting into place the most stringent educational and qualifying system for judges that this country has ever seen. What’s more, Physique Canada will do what no other organization in this country has ever done: publicly disclose individual judge’s score immediately following each event. Individual judges can no longer hide behind the panel they participate on and competitors will no longer wonder how each judge rated them. When it comes to judging, Physique Canada’s mantra is competency, honesty, integrity, and transparency.

Finally, Physique Canada is offering something quite a bit different competitively. They will have men’s bodybuilding, which everyone knows, and what’s being called women’s muscular physique, the discipline most people already know as figure. The reason that it’s not being called figure is because Physique Canada feels that term is not descriptive enough; instead, women’s muscular physique describes the discipline better and will allow better judging feedback when competitors come to ask what they need to do in order to improve. Then there’s the brand-new discipline: women’s athletic physique. No other organization in Canada offers this discipline and the organization feels that once the judging standards for it are understood, women will flock to enter this unique competition. But I’m not going to try to describe women’s athletic physique here; instead, Steve has written an article specifically about women’s athletic physique that will appear on SeriousAboutMuscle.com in the “Steve Speaks Out” column on January 15.

On December 1, 2011, everyone in the Canadian fitness scene was served notice that a new organization had arrived -- Physique Canada. But this isn’t just a new organization; it’s a new kind of organization that will shake up the Canadian fitness scene forever. See www.PhysiqueCanada.ca for more details about Canada’s newest physique organization, and keep checking into SeriousAboutMuscle.com for exclusive coverage of Physique Canada competitions and competitors.